The Rain Before the Rainbow
by sarcasimwizardofsarcasim
Summary: After deciding to go on a date with Beast Boy, tragity strikes all of the Titans, affecting Raven and BB the most. Will they all survive or will the team lose a member to the hands of death?


Frayed Ends

By: Victoria Kalau

Dedications Page

For everyone who said I **couldn't** do it, and the people who made my worst nightmares possible.

For the people who said I **could** do it and encouraged me through this whole process.

For my family and peer edits and the people who read this, and re-read this and saw the other versions of this book before this book found its voice.

And the last special thanks for you, Mrs. McClure who was my biggest teacher supporter all through one of the most challenging school years of my life. We will always stand by each other.

Prologue

I ran. I couldn't look back or else I was going to fall to the wildflowers and weeds, which would swallow me completely.

A wild, psychotic scream tore through the almost quiet field about 6 ft behind me. He was gaining.

Cat tails thrashed at my face, pressuring me to duck into the soft bed of daisies and dandelions, tugging like small children at my feet. But too much adrenaline was pumping through my blood stream to realize that I might actually die here. But I didn't want to. I didn't want to want to give up, lie down, and die. I couldn't lose this battle. I was afraid to die, out of all things. Death's beautiful light, then his ugly face appearing in my vision, and finally me never being on Earth again. It was all a nightmare.

"Run while you still can, love!" my pursuer giggled as tears started to free-flow down my face. I picked up the hem of my torn ball gown and kicked off my flats, already gaining speed at the small change I made. My legs and feet were starting to ache after an hour of running, but I couldn't give in now, being so far into this chase. If only I could get to Moonlight Lake….

"Your powers won't help you now,Evora!" he called after me. A metallic _swoosh _entered the night air as a sword was pulled from its sheath. I instinctively reached for my bow. Cursing with the little breath I had left, I realized that one of my most prized possessions wasn't there.

Fireflies adorned the night sky, joining the stars high above me and I realized that this scene was oddly beautiful, considering my situation.

I saw a shimmer of silver fish and the small ripple of water in the distance. Hope refueled me and I sprinted just like I had at the beginning, only I was full of fear then.

I scanned over the options of what I could do once I got to the lake. Deciding on the best, I realized that there were only 7 more leaps across solid ground then I was in the clear. Stripping down to my tank top and tight shorts underneath was the hardest part because I still had to keep running. With a superman-like tear to rip the front, I dropped the lilac coloured garment into the mud, regretful. I dove into the pond with a splash and instantly opened my eyes, looking for the tunnel that led into a cave and I could run from there.

My heart sunk into my feet when the water went _sploosh _behind me. The second sploosh belonged to the guy who was perusing me. My arms and legs thrashed wildly to try to make it to my hidden tunnel but it was too late. He had my foot and cut it right off with the sword.

A dark, velvety red filled the water. It burned my eyes and made me scared to know that I might actually die not from murder, but from bleeding to death. My battle was lost. At that moment I'd given up. I let my body go slack. He was surprised, but he gripped me underneath the arms and pulled me up a little. I closed my eyes and just let my attacker grab my neck. This was part of my instant plan b. I kicked Matthew Kenneth Blackwood in the stomach with my good foot and elbowed his eye while he doubled over in pain. He let go long enough for me to swim to the secret tunnel.

There was a sliver of hope that I hit him hard enough in the stomach to wind him, and let him drown and rot in the bottom of Moonlight Lake. But hope almost never works. This was one of those situations.

Waves were being made behind me again and I could see a glint of silver on the cave entrance, which was just about 5 ft in front of me. I couldn't give up now.

Adrenaline coursed through my blood stream as easily as the blood still flowing out of the place where my right ankle was supposed to be.

I was closing in on the cave, about 2 feet to go, I felt an arm wrap around my left thigh. I thrashed and struggled helplessly agented his strong grip, but my attempts were useless.

I turned over like a torpedo so I can see my boyfriend, my fiancé, my best guy friend, my _brother _almost. None of this would have happened if the parasite hadn't gotten him.

I look into his chocolate eyes only to see them with an eerie green glow surrounding each one, polluting their natural innocence and sparkle. We will never be the same if we survive.

I have only one last ditch effort that might kill me or bring Matthew back. I kiss him on the lips for as long as I can. I feel his iron grip soften a little as I move my mouth over his. I also feel him move his mouth in response just enough to make me know that I'm not imagining it. I celebrate in my head but only pull away only to see that he was confused. I need to surface but I don't. My lungs burn and I'm starting to lose feeling in my body. The dull throbbing that was my right foot is more like a violent stab.

As I thought Matthew was coming around, he slips back into the firm grasp of the parasite. He raises the sword. I don't cower back because I already knew my fate. As the sword comes at full speed under water, at my skull to split it in half, but before the blow connects, I wake with a jolt.

It was only a dream.

Chapter One

I knew it as I watched. Our community was turning into a society right before my very eyes. I read the morning paper. There had been another shooting this time at a grocery store. 55 were killed, 6 were badly injured. I slammed down the paper in anguish and despair.

"I know, sweetheart," my dad says as mom makes breakfast from some powdered eggs my parents were able to find after The Disaster, as everyone calls it. We only eat them on special occasions, like today. Everyone mourns all lost last night in the shooting but the real occasion is Battle of Peirce day. The Battle of Peirce is when the remaining solders of the QFC (Quick Feet Colony) defeated the remaining AGARBC (Always Greedy and Always Ready for Battle Colony) with just 3 guns, 120 bullets and 9 grenades. It was a strong strategy and a surprise attack that got us the win. A win that wiped out another fourth of out population.

I pick up the newspaper and try to avert my eyes from the picture on the front page, almost x-rated it was so bloody. I saw an article that interested me and upset me at the same time; it was a new constitution. The council has decided to pass a whole new document posting more rules and laws that you are obliged to follow or you can die. I read soberly down the list. These laws were terrible.

1) You can only retire if you are 83 and older.

2) You are to get married at 13 years of age.*

3) You're to have at least 10-20 children by the age of 45. If you are unable to meet this requirement, you and your husband will be put in jail for the rest of your life or deliver babies at the hospital depending on the situation.

4) Selecting of a fiancé or wife-to-be should happen at 9 years of age so the couple has 4 years to get to know each other. If disregarded, you are to become a match maker or be thrown in jail for the rest of your life depending on the circumstance you are put under.

5) Education stops at age 7, so the next 2 years are spent in marriage and dating training. If disregarded, you are to become a teacher or be thrown in jail for the rest of your life depending on the circumstance you are put under.

6) Any form of PDA is illegal if you are anywhere but inside of tour own house hold. If you are found guilty of such crime, everywhere you go, you will be handcuffed to each other every time you both go out together

7) Secret meetings are ban due to current events.

8) Any unauthorized parties, concerts or social gatherings are also ban. If this law is disobeyed, you will clean the whole colony for the rest of your life.

9) Any drink other than water and sparkling water for special occasions is illegal and punishable by drinking whatever substance you are caught drinking for the rest of your life.

10) Any clothing that reveals too much skin or is too tight will result in a punishment of all of it being cut off in the town square and having to walk around completely naked for the entire day.

If any of the following laws are broken, the punishment is death unless otherwise listed with the law.

I frown upon the last sentence because if I refuse to marry in less than a year, I will be killed without a second thought. I feel revolted at the very idea of having at least 10 kids. I shudder at the pain. And all of those mouths to feed at what the jobs are currently paying? Forget it unless the pay raise goes up.

I re-read the article, trying to understand where all of this is coming from. Beside rule # 2, there's a star matching the one I find at the bottom of the paper. Next to the same star, in fine black print at the bottom of the article, I have to squint to read something that makes me lose all hope.

*If you are 6-0 months away from turning 13, please report to the city hall to get your fiancé or soon-to-be-wife, so you can marry, ASAP. Matches will preferably be someone you've known for a while and work well with so you can secure a happy and fulfilled future. Wear your best clothes for this will decide your future. Thank you and do not ignore this message.

I only know of one guy that fulfills this quota. I've known him ever since we were 1 year olds. He made me laugh when my cocker spaniel, Coop, died at the old age of 16. I helped him through his brother's death and he helped me through my brother's death also. The war had taken too many and the nuclear war we are only aloud to call The Disaster stole too many of our people without mercy. As I scan over the rule about the age-13 marriage, there is nothing agented gay marriage, although I think all of those people were the first to be terminated in the war, just because of their beliefs. That thought just makes me even more infuriated than I already am. I'm about to walk out the door with the newspaper in hand to go the council to complain and report that I only have 4 months till I turn 13 years of age and that I have a willing fiancé (probably).

"Where do you think your goin', Pimp?" my younger brother asks as he enters the kitchen. His eyes widen at the sight of either the eggs or the front page of the paper I'm holding haphazardly, clearly displaying the front page.

"Oh, to the council office to complain about the new constitution and check in to get my fiancé," I say calmer than feel. If I showed how I'd felt, I'd probably burst into fireworks I'm so angry at the new shag laws.

As my brother's jaw drops, mother's spoon hits the pot with a thud and a gasp while Father just sighs and takes off his glasses so he can rub the bridge of his nose. He probably already knew about the new laws because he usually gets up before I do so he can fetch the paper and start the coffee brewing.

My mother rushes towards me and ushers me upstairs to my room in a hurried fashion.

"Mom, calm down. It's going to be fine. I'm just going to fill out some paper work, and hope to get Matthew as a fiancé/ husband. We like Matthew. He's the nice, sweet boy next door. You said so yourself. You and his mom are, like, really close," I say assuring her.

"You need a shower; I'll pick out your best dress, iron it, and after you're done your shower, ill do your hair. When is Mathew going to be 13? And I want you to knock on his door as soon as you're ready… Oh dear, you're going to need your make up done also… In the shower, wash your hair and clean up anything else you need done, like body wash. Everything is going to be fine Luna. Don't panic, sweetheart," she says, looking ten years older as she says this. Her dark brown hair looks grayer than usual and more wrinkles creased her face.

"Mom, you're panicking," I say, sounding a million years older than I really am. "I will look great. I know your magic hands will fix me right up'" I add with a smile.

"They're going to put you through a drug test, a physical exam, some paper work and a verbal test to see if you are a good match for Matthew or not. You should review what you are going to say to the verbal response coordinator. Also discuss the written test. I'll write the questions down because your father already knew about this and it relates to his work. Be yourself now go for a shower. Oh dear… I'll wash your girdle so you can be as thin as possible. Now, go shower. I'll be waiting for you. I love you," my mother explains quickly and rushed adding the 'I love you' part at the end. I didn't hesitate to hug her before rushing off to the shower.

As I knocked on the door of the Blackwood household, I thought about my future, now so close to my grasp. The very thought of losing my mother and father just struck me as appalling. And only being to visit on specific days? Just as my thoughts drifted to having children, Mrs. Blackwood answered.

"Oh, hello dear. You look beautiful as usual… Matt has been most stressed about this whole process… Maybe you could calm him down? Come in, come in," she says in her faint, soft voice that always struck me as comforting.

"Thank you Mrs.B. I am positive that Matt has been as stressed or more stressed about this whole process. I am definitely sure he will come around though. I am sure that he is just worried about not having me as a companion to spend the rest of his life with. He has no need to worry," I say in a sort-of stiff way because Matt's mom is a stickler for grammar.

A shy knock comes from around the wall. I look over in that direction and I can see Matthew hugging the shadows like he doesn't want to be seen. I know that feeling.

Matt is wearing blue-gray cap sleeved polo with khaki shorts that accent his tan legs from hours in the sun, mostly spent with me, and shin-high black socks paired with russet coloured loafers. He looked classy and cute at the same time with the perfectly tousled sandy hair and striking blue eyes that could scare the daylights out of you if anger ever struck him.

"May I come in?" Matthew asks in a small yet steady voice. He clearly doesn't trust his words.

"This is your house. No need to ask if you can come in unless the room has a door and it is shut. Come join our wonderful conversation," I say politely to my best friend.

All Matt does is stand and stare. It's not like I'm a sight or anything. Plain brown hair curled with little gems added to each curl to make my hair seem as if it were blessed with the beauty of a silver spider on each one. The spider has always been good luck.

My dress is form-fitting, yet loose and black with dark blue flowers and grass-green stems connecting every flower to each other. My shooed are strappy black heals and my nails have been painted the colour of the flowers that bless my dress with their beauty.

"You look… Amassing," Matt says, stuttering like I was an angel sent to take him away from this place.

"Um, thanks. We should probably get going, Matthew. We need to review our answers so we can be together," I say sweeping past him, grabbing his hand in the process.


End file.
